A Bright, Rustic Wedding at Gratitude & Grace in Ithaca, New York

When it came to planning their wedding, Cornell University grads Meghan Breneman (24 and a sales manager) and Joe DiPalmo (28 and a mechanical engineer) knew from the get-go that their alma mater would be the perfect backdrop for their summer affair. Armed with a palette of bold summer hues and the planning pros at MLH Events, the couple pulled off a one-of-a-kind fete that truly captured their personalities and past. “Joe and I never really set a theme for the wedding. We knew we wanted to get married at Cornell, that we love wine and sunflowers, and that our biggest focus was celebrating with our guests as much as possible,” Meghan says. “From there, the wedding grew into our Ithaca favorites.” The ceremony took place at Sage Chapel on the Cornell campus and was officiated by the couple’s close friend and neighbor. “There was no other place we could have gotten married that would have meant as much to us,” Meghan says. The pair added their own personal twist to the proceedings by writing their own vows, marking their union with a wine ceremony and having their family and friends share poems in lieu of traditional readings. The reception followed at Gratitude & Grace an Ithaca, New York, barn dating to the 1870s. Guests were treated to the couple’s favorite craft beers and wine—including Red Cat wine slushies, a Finger Lakes must-have from their college-day wine tours—Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse and a strawberry shortcake bar. After dinner, guests hit the dance floor, where Black Tie Entertainment kept the good vibes alive late into the night. “The DJ and caterers all left at 11 p.m., but we had 24-hour access to our venue, so we threw our own after-party,” Meghan says. “We switched on our own playlist, had 20 pizzas delivered, rearranged the tables for beer pong and flip cup and kept the party going until 1:30 a.m. It was amazing," Meghan says. "This was a huge perk of being able to provide our own alcohol.” A tip from Meghan: “Our wedding was perfect because we surrounded ourselves with vendors we trusted and that we were excited to work with. Some were friends before, and others became friends during the wedding process. One thing Joe and I did was spend a few minutes during cocktail hour walking around the venue, looking at everything and thanking every person who worked that event. They are the ones who really make the day fun and relaxing for your guests.” —Libby MacCarthy